A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for supporting an apparatus on a tow hitch assembly that is associated with a vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to such devices that are removably mounted to the tow hitch assembly so an apparatus may be supportedly carried by the vehicle. Even more particularly, this invention relates to such devices that are configured to support a wide variety of different types of apparatuses which are utilized for a variety of different carrying and support purposes without interfering with the use of the tow hitch assembly for towing purposes.
B. Background
As generally well known, many people utilize a vehicle to transport a wide variety of items from one place to another. Although some of these items may be carried inside the vehicle, many items that are desired to be transported with a vehicle, such as bicycles, skis, ladders, cargo boxes, large tool boxes and the like, do not fit and/or are not easily placed within the relatively small interior space of a typical vehicle. Even if an item can fit inside the passenger area of the vehicle, placement of a larger-sized item in the vehicle is likely to result in limited space being remaining available for passengers to be in the vehicle. For some items, such as extra gasoline, fuel for camping stoves, open cans of paint or thinner and the like, it is generally not safe or otherwise desirable to carry the smelly and/or potentially explosive material inside the passenger area of the vehicle. In addition, placement of some items inside the vehicle, such as large tool or cargo boxes, substantially reduces the user being able to conveniently access the item to retrieve tools or other components therefrom when he or she is outside the vehicle.
Some vehicles have a roof rack that allows the user to place items, even relatively large items, on the roof of the vehicle or they have an integral trunk or bed area which allows larger items to be carried by the vehicle. Although the roof, trunk and bed areas of the vehicle generally allow transport of larger items than the interior space of the vehicle, they have certain drawbacks that limit the functionality of these areas for carrying certain items, such as large tool boxes, lawnmowers, mobility carts and the like. For instance, placement of items on the roof of the vehicle can be very difficult or even impractical for items that are heavy and/or awkwardly shaped. If not handled properly, such items can be dangerous for the person(s) placing the item on the roof of the vehicle and/or when removing the item from the vehicle roof. In addition, an item placed on the roof of a vehicle is subject to greater wind force as the vehicle moves along the road, generally requiring the item to be somewhat more secured than if carried elsewhere on the vehicle. In addition, placement of an item, particularly larger items, on the roof of the vehicle is likely to reduce the gas mileage efficiency of the vehicle. Although items carried in the trunk are generally more secure, most vehicle trunks are somewhat limited in size and/or have trunk openings that are configured such that it is not easy to place larger items in the trunk. For instance, skis, bicycles, ladders and the like generally do not fit in the trunk of a vehicle. For vehicles having a bed, such as a pickup truck, the bed provides significantly more carrying space and is generally easier access than the vehicle roof or trunk. However, any item placed in the bed of a vehicle must be well secured to prevent the item from sliding about the bed when the vehicle is moving to prevent the item from damaging the vehicle and/or itself. In addition, an item placed in the forward area of the bed of a truck is generally difficult to reach for convenient access to the item. An item placed at or near the rear area of a vehicle bed will generally allow more convenient access to the item, however, the item will then tend to block convenient access to the remaining portion of the bed.
Many vehicles are equipped with a tow hitch assembly, which is also referred to as a trailer hitch assembly, that is mounted to the vehicle at or near the center rear of the vehicle generally on the lower frame portion of the vehicle. As well known in the art, a common tow hitch assembly comprises a tube-shaped receiver that is fixedly mounted to the vehicle with a tube opening facing rearward of the vehicle, a receiver collar around the rearwardly facing tube opening, a hitch shaft having a first or forward end that is received in the receiver through the tube opening at the receiver collar, a pin, bolt or other locking device that is received through cooperatively positioned apertures in the receiver and hitch shaft to securely, but removably, connect the receiver to the hitch shaft, a hitch ball mounting plate at the second or rearward end of the hitch shaft and a hitch ball mounted to the mounting plate. The rearward facing tube opening is sized and configured to removably receive the hitch shaft into the receiver when the user needs to utilize the tow hitch assembly to tow a towable vehicle, such as a cargo trailer, recreational trailer, camper trailer, boat trailer and the like. In one common configuration, the tube opening is generally square with 2″ interior sides (which is a common configuration for Class III, IV and V hitches). The opening generally has 1¼″ interior sides for Class I and II hitches. The hitch ball is sized and configured, typically having a round shape with a 1¼″ to 2½″ diameter, depending on the Class rating of the tow hitch assembly, to removably connect the tow hitch to a towable vehicle. Commonly, a safety chain is utilized as a back-up safety mechanism to interconnect the vehicle tow hitch to the towable vehicle while the towable vehicle is being towed. Although the above describes a common type of tow hitch assembly, those who are skilled in the art will readily appreciate that there are a variety of different configurations of tow hitch assemblies that are currently in use.
To assist the owner or operator of a vehicle with carrying some of the items described above, including bicycles, tool boxes, mobility carts and extra fuel, a number of rack or platform devices are available that releasably connect to the receiver portion of the tow hitch assembly so as to be supported thereby and transported by the vehicle. Typically, such racks, platforms or the like have a shaft member that is sized and configured to be removably received inside the receiver, through the tube opening, and secured thereto with the locking device (typically an elongated pin or bolt) that is normally used to secure the hitch shaft to the vehicle receiver. In a common configuration, the rack, platform or other apparatus is integral with or attached to the shaft member so the apparatus can be supportedly carried by the receiver. Rack systems that are specifically sized and configured to carry one or more bicycles are sold by Thule, Yakima, Saris and others. Bicycle and other receiver rack systems are generally useful for carrying a variety of items, depending on the item and the configuration of the rack system, and do solve some of the problems described above with regard to carrying certain items on the roof or in the trunk or bed of the vehicle. However, utilizing the vehicle's tubular hitch receiver to receive the shaft member of the rack, platform or other apparatus in order to secure the rack to the vehicle has the disadvantage of eliminating the ability to use the tow hitch assembly for its intended purpose, namely to tow a towable vehicle (such as a trailer or boat).
As generally well known, many people desire to be able to carry items on a rack that is supported by the receiver at the back of the vehicle and to also utilize a tow hitch assembly to tow a towable vehicle. A few rack systems do provide a secondary receiver associated with the rack that faces rearward from the rack which allows the user to tow a towable vehicle. There are also receiver extensions that are utilized to provide a secondary receiver. Unfortunately, use of the extension leads to a longer, sometimes significantly longer, lever arm, which reduces the tongue capacity available for towing a towable vehicle. In addition, many of the available secondary receiver systems are configured such that user has to be careful what items are placed on the rack, platform or other apparatus being carried by the vehicle's receiver and how those items are placed so the items will not interfere with or otherwise be contacted by the towed vehicle during turns. As will be readily appreciated by persons skilled in the art, such contact can damage the towed vehicle and/or the items being carried.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved device for supporting an apparatus, such as a rack, platform or the like, on a vehicle tow hitch assembly in a manner that does not diminish or prevent use of the tow hitch assembly to tow a towable vehicle. Such a device should be configured to allow the vehicle to concurrently transport items on the apparatus and to tow a towable vehicle with the tow hitch assembly. Preferably, the device should be configured to support the apparatus so the item or items being carried thereby will not interfere with the normal use of the tow hitch assembly, namely towing a towable vehicle, and without reducing the towing capacity of the tow hitch assembly or result in any contact between the towable vehicle and the item being carried. The preferred device should be configured to be able to supportedly carry a wide variety of different types of useful apparatuses that are each configured to support one or more different types of items and/or to perform a function that is useful for the user. Preferably, such a device should be easy to use and at least somewhat economical to manufacture.